1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for handwash monitoring systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus wherein persons are automatically alerted to wash their hands when necessary and directed how to wash their hands step-by-step to promote adherence to government and industry hygiene standards.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that maintaining a high level of employee hygiene is critical in the food service industry and healthcare professions, where the spread of bacteria and viruses can ultimately endanger a person""s health. These industries must follow strict government and industry regulations requiring employees to wash their hands before and after food preparation, after handling waste, after they enter a washroom, etc. An increasing number of industries, such as microprocessor fabricators, utilize xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d rooms or sanitary areas that rival the sterile environment of a surgical operating room. Employees are required to wash their hands according to a schedule and/or before re-entering the clean area once they have exited to avoid product contamination. As a general rule, most industries require employees to wash their hands after any bathroom use. Many industries also require washing after an employee has entered any unsanitary area, such as a garbage disposal area or hospital infectious area. Other industries may wish to alert employees to wash their hands before entering a clean room or sterile room if a requisite handwash procedure has not been performed.
Numerous inventions such as touch-free, automatic soap dispensers, faucets and hand dryers attempt to address the problem of workplace hygiene by making it easier for employees to wash their hands. Unless employees are actively supervised in the washroom, however, there is usually no way to determine if they have washed their hands. Furthermore, even if the employees do wash their hands, there is no way to easily determine if they followed a prescribed government- and/or industry-approved regimen to ensure they washed properly.
One existing system for monitoring whether employees have washed their hands uses three separate signalsxe2x80x94one to detect that an individual has entered a washroom; a second to detect the individual has exited the washroom; and an alert signal triggered when the individual has exited the washroom without washing. The major drawback of such a system is its complexity. A control unit monitors all vital aspects of the system by analyzing and interpreting the entry and exit signals coming from separate sources to determine if hand washing must be performed. It also monitors a faucet, soap dispenser and blower to determine if hand washing is performed. The control unit issues an alert signal only if the hand washing does not occur. If any one component malfunctions, the entire system fails and employees could exit a washroom without an alert signal when no washing occurs. Another drawback of such a method is that it does not support a predetermined washing time schedule for employees. This method only requires the employee to wash when entering a washroom or other facility where it is desirable to wash before exiting. No provision is made for alerting the employee to wash their hands when the employee exits a xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d area or sterile environment and thereafter wishes to re-enter the clean area. Finally, due to the use of entry and exit signals to function, such a system necessitates placing a washroom facility wherever there is a risk of contamination. For example, to prevent contamination from a garbage disposal area, a washroom facility would have to be installed in the garbage disposal area. This is not only impractical for existing facilities but defeats the purpose of improving overall employee hygiene.
It is an object of the current invention to solve the problems discussed above relating to monitoring employee hygiene.
Specifically, it is an object of the current invention to provide a simple handwash monitoring system that does not fail entirely if one of the system components fail. If one component should fail, the rest of the system will still function.
It is also an object of the current invention to function as more than a washroom monitor. The current invention will support a predetermined washing schedule for employees. It will also provide monitoring in a variety of other environments, such as when an employee exits a xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d area or sterile environment.
A further object of the current invention is to solve the above problems by retrofitting existing washroom facilities. Extensive construction of new washrooms or expensive remodeling will not be required.
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a handwash monitoring system comprising: a badge worn or carried by a person for registering one of a hands-washed state and a hands-unwashed state; a wash area including a faucet and a soap dispenser for washing hands of the person; and a base unit connected to the faucet and soap dispenser for detecting when the person has correctly performed a predetermined handwash procedure, whereupon said base unit communicates with said badge to register the hands-washed state. Said badge is equipped with one or more of visual means, audible means and tactile means for registering one of the hands-washed state and the hands-unwashed state. Said base unit is equipped with one or more of visual means and audible means for prompting the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure.
In addition, said badge comprises an identification badge with a memory containing identification data that is transmitted to said base unit upon request by said base unit to begin the predetermined handwash procedure when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to said base unit; the handwash monitoring system further comprises means for preventing reactivation of the predetermined handwash procedure for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure; said base unit comprises means for selecting a language for the predetermined handwash procedure based upon the identification data, stores performance data of the person regarding the predetermined handwash procedure along with the identification data transmitted by said badge to said base unit for later retrieval or for immediate or delayed transmission to a remote memory unit, and communicates with said badge using wireless means.
In this embodiment, said badge comprises a timer that triggers said badge to register the unwashed hands state after a predetermined period of time elapses. The faucet and soap dispenser in said wash area are activated by one of hand proximity sensors and non-contaminating means. The handwash monitoring system further comprises a plurality of beacons placed at locations where it is desired to communicate with said badge to register the hands-unwashed state when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of said plurality of beacons; means for preventing said badge from registering the hands-unwashed state for a predetermined period of time upon said base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure to allow the person to exit said wash area and pass one or more of said plurality of beacons without registering the hands-unwashed state, and wherein said plurality of beacons communicate with said badge using wireless means.
The handwash monitoring system further comprises a plurality of sentinels equipped with one or more of audible means, visual means and remote means for issuing a warning when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of the plurality of sentinels while registering the hands-unwashed state, wherein said plurality of sentinels detects that said badge registers the hands-unwashed state through wireless means.
In addition, the handwash monitoring system further comprises a plurality of beacon-sentinels for communicating with said badge when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of said beacon-sentinels to register the hands-unwashed state in said badge and to issue a warning using one or more of audible means, visual means and remote means. Said wash area further includes an inspection device connected to said base unit for measuring an amount of soap applied on the hands of the person and/or the removal of soap from the hands of the person after rinsing.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a handwash monitoring method comprising the steps of: registering a hands-unwashed state on a badge worn by a person; instructing the person to perform a predetermined handwash procedure using a base unit located in a wash area; detecting whether the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure using the base unit; and clearing by the base unit the hands-unwashed state on the badge when the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure. Said registering step includes the step of activating one or more of a visual alarm, audible alarm and tactile alarm on the badge. Said instructing step further includes the step of one or more of visually and audibly prompting the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure by the base unit.
In addition, the handwash monitoring method further comprises identifying the person using the base unit that prompts the badge to transmit identification data stored in the badge to the base unit to begin the predetermined handwash procedure when the badge is within a predetermined proximity to the base unit; preventing reactivation of the predetermined handwash procedure for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure; selecting a language for the predetermined handwash procedure using the base unit based on the identification data; and storing performance data of the person regarding the predetermined handwash procedure along with the identification data transmitted by the badge to the base unit for one of later retrieval, immediate transmission and delayed transmission to a remote memory unit. Said registering step occurs when a predetermined period of time elapses, and/or when the badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of a plurality of beacons placed at locations where it is desired that the badge register the hands-unwashed state.
The handwash monitoring method further comprises disabling the badge from registering a hands-unwashed state for a predetermined period of time by the base unit upon detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure to allow the person to exit the wash area and pass one or more of the plurality of beacons without registering the hands-unwashed state.
In this embodiment, the handwash monitoring method further comprises issuing one or more of a visual alarm, audible alarm and remote alarm by each of a plurality of sentinels when the badge registers the hands-unwashed state within a predetermined proximity to any one of the plurality of sentinels; issuing one or more of a visual alarm, audible alarm and remote alarm by each of a plurality of beacon-sentinels when the badge registers the hands-unwashed state within a predetermined proximity to any one of the beacon-sentinels; and wherein said registering step occurs when the badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of the plurality of beacon-sentinels.